7) Trust (Almost) Nobody
Just because somebody says they won’t nominate you or vote for you doesn’t make it true. Although somebody might seem like a good person, although they might have told you the truth multiple times over, it’s still not always possible to find one person that you can totally trust. Don’t assume anything, especially in a person you have only known for a short while.
Well, let me correct myself. You should actually assume one thing: that you are almost always being lied to. Therefore, you must do whatever is necessary to protect yourself. That means if you have the opportunity to keep yourself safe and there are no, or only minimal, downsides, do it! Just because somebody says they won’t vote you off is simply not a smart reason to make yourself vulnerable. Learn from his mistake Marcellas made those many years ago when he had the golden Veto (before they were all golden Vetoes), with which he could have saved himself, and he didn’t. He trusted people to save him when he had his own lifesaver.
This also applies to deals made in the heat of a competition. When I interviewed Dan after he won, he told me, “How many times have you watched Big Brother in an endurance competition where somebody makes a deal with somebody from the other side – for him to trust me, are you kidding me?” Deals are just words. If you can win that endurance comp, then win it! Of course if you are going to lose anyway and you know it, sure, offer up a deal because you have nothing to lose. But don’t rely on it. You are the only person you can completely trust.
